What Does Productivity Mean to Me?
November 2019: Ellie playing in the leaves
Just a quick note before you head into the blog post. Are you an academic who is trying to figure out your long term planning processes? My planning course, plan(it)*, can help support you as you figure that out. Check out the link for more info.
In academia (and in life), productivity is often synonymous with getting sh*t done.
How many publications do you have? How much funding do you have? How much writing did you get done? How many lines are on your CV? How many things did you cross off your list today before crashing into bed at night?
I don't know about you, but to me… that’s exhausting. Lately, I’ve been thinking about re-conceptualizing what productivity means for me, moving away from the lines on my CV to a more meaningful, personalized definition of the term.
Here’s what I’ve come up with so far, for my own productivity definition.
I can identify my most important priorities, in work and life, and I give those things time on my calendar on a regular basis, ideally starting the day with these things. Each week, there’s movement on these projects (doesn't necessarily mean it's forward movement... sometimes you’ve got to go backwards to get ahead).
Includes daily meditation, movement, family time, reflection, and adequate sleep (which I realize is hard to come by with a young kid).
For non-priority projects (and really all projects), I try to embrace B- work and let go of perfectionism.
I plan out my week ahead of time
Essentially, I know what my priorities are and my time is aligned with these priorities. I understand that I've got to do things that aren't a huge priority for me and I put in a professional 80% effort 😊. I know what makes me feel like a whole human being and there's space each day for me to do these things. Finally, I have a plan.
What about you? How do you define productivity?
Here are some reflection prompts to get you started with your personalized definition:
When I hear the word productivity, what comes up for me?
What are my current personal priorities?
What are my current professional/educational priorities?
What are the other things I have to do but aren't a priority at this point in my life?
How much time/energy do I spend on my current priorities?
How much time/energy do I spend on things that aren't a priority?
What activities help me rest and recharge?
What activities drain me?
While I was drafting this post, one of my favorite productivity experts, Kate Litterer from the Tending Year was featured on the Here to Thrive podcast, talking about this very topic. What I love about Kate is that she is an academic who also pushes back against the work 'til you drop mentality. Go check out Kate's episode: How to Do Less & Achieve More for more personalized productivity thoughts.
